Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Yet More Hobbit

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  • giovanni tiso,

    I'd say if you're the outfit contracting to produce the films, industrial relations stability would be a concern shared with its financial backers at the studios.

    I am confused as to how exactly he's trying to keep the film in NZ, is all, when everything he's saying endorses Warner's position.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'd say if you're the outfit contracting to produce the films, industrial relations stability would be a concern shared with its financial backers at the studios.

    Well, yes. Especially when the highest profile actor in the cast is more likely to pray away his gay than commit career suicide by breaking a do not work order the union he's belonged to for over forty years is a party to.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    surely that will sweeten things a bit.

    It sweetens it for me. At least some piece of NZ has managed to hold onto this balls-up.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Peter Cox,

    "I'd call it a win for global unionism, and after the local film industry has stagnated for a decade or so with regard to international productions, I could see the next generation of those involved on all sides lobbying the government to follow Ireland's example for allowing collective contracts in order to be part of the global film industry."

    This is exactly what the New Zealand Writer's Guild had (past tense?) literally set as the high priority focus for the next two years. So you can imagine my reaction to all this...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    This is exactly what the New Zealand Writer's Guild had (past tense?) literally set as the high priority focus for the next two years. So you can imagine my reaction to all this...

    Shit -- really? Could do you do me a favour and expand on this topic in the discussion for this morning's new post on the debacle? I'm really interested.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    And if anyone -- including you, Helen -- could post a link to the text of the do not work order being lifted I'd be grateful

    Doesn't exist, yet. Perhaps we could get a up boycott deathwatch?

    It ain't over till SAG sings.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Peter Cox,

    Shit -- really? Could do you do me a favour and expand on this topic in the discussion for this morning's new post on the debacle? I'm really interested.

    Well, it's hard to talk about because it's something we've been working on with our international unions. All writer's unions around the world except for the US and Canada work in a very similar system to us, complete with pink books type stuff, recommended rates etc.

    So we've been having some discussions about what to do about that.

    Basically, the lobbying aspect would just be common sense stuff: various ways of gaining public support and then some political will out of that, because you need to make the govt think there's some significant votes in it for them, or at least losing some significant votes if they don't do it. Obviously, I can't go into the specifics of those strategies though, but they were being worked on.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Has anyone seen an attempt to crunch numbers on the costs of the actors demands. How much would it add on to costs?

    It's not really that. The Hobbit actor contracts were already going to be far more generous than any viable industry agreement could be.

    It's more the risk of an environment where production shuts down for a month (which it effectively just has). That costs a lot of money.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Yeh, but they slow shit down all the time, they rip their own people off, they can movies. ...but I understand your point, big money wets itself because no one wants to own the next "Heavens Gate" .

    This is a strange industry.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Chaz Harris,

    Hi all, I would just like to respond to the comments about Peter Jackson supporting local filmmakers and there being no further comments/stories of this support.

    In 2007 I made a self-funded short film called "The Shoe Box" and had the help and support of lighting company Portsmouth Hire and Park Road Post.

    I have also experienced this several times in the last three years and as such have an incredible amount of respect and admiration for them. Any depictions of SPJ as a power-hungry and money-grabbing evil film director/producer are completely wrong. If he was money-grabbing, why would he have that mandate to help a bunch of us upcoming filmmakers at all - surely he would be charging us full price for everything! If you live in Wellington and area filmmaker, you will likely have been helped in some way by his companies and I am so disappointed in a lot of people who have turned against him over this. He and his team deserve much better than this!

    and that's all I have to say about that.

    Wellington • Since Oct 2010 • 6 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Thanks, Chaz. We've heard similar stories on other threads and it disappoints me how fast some have leapt to demonise the man to fit into a good/bad, boss/union worldview as if they don't have the wit to acknowledge what's actually going on is more complex and has real people in it. That includes the ridiculous recent attacks on Russell and this community as somehow being traitors or scabs for having the affront to expect competent behaviour from those acting in the interests of working people.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    And the Techos Guild is a union, too. And hardly what I'd call a yellow union either.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Bee,

    The hobbit dispute and the Machiavellian Simon Whipp has parallels to me with the wide-comb dispute in the Oz shearing industry of some years ago - pitting Oz shearers against NZ shearers, if anyone remembers that. My sister was rousying in a shearing gang in the '80s, hence we followed the dispute.

    A fascinating history is here http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lab/90/omalley.html

    NZ • Since Oct 2010 • 1 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Bee, that is an extremely interesting link - thanks!

    And *does* have resonances...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Islander
    sounds like it's been a stressful day in Okarito
    any word on the missing whitebaiter?
    how's everyone else?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Ian Dalziel - the bloke is almost certainly dead. He was a 77yrold of Dutch extraction who jumped in after 2 other blokes were swept out by a rogue wave (those 2 were subsequently rescued by - there is a bit of local controversey - locals who used boats & rubber duckies (it's been reported it was official jetski & rescue craft - all I can say is my nextdoor neighbour was the one pouring The Frog into one of our other neighbours after he had taken his small useful craft out-)

    The choppers and shore quadbike patrols stopped way before dark. The missing bloke was wearing a wetsuit, which means he has a slim slim chance.

    Everyone is feeling grim. The last time we lost someone was nearly couple of decades ago. We will need to close the beach for fishing (naturally)
    from now on, until the body is recovered. Aue aue aue!-grief for the missing fisher's family, grief for all who engage with the sea, grief for a season abruptly terminated-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander,

    O, & thanks good Ian-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    Thoughts are with you all in the Big O.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Thank you Just Thinking-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander,

    "When Glenn Tinirau went dead
    (he had a lovely smile)
    he wore gumboots and a swannie
    and his grin as he went up the line
    warmed all us older slower folk:
    Go boy! we said
    and he did, up to the top, into the surf,
    a sure proud young man
    and his dog, panting along, onshore:
    the wave came,
    he was out in front with 2 older men -
    bulkier? You understand?
    Glenn was adolescent, slim-
    the men in wetsuits got ashore but
    the wave got him.
    We waited nearly ten days before
    the body came ashore-

    some call that closure,
    some call that grace
    but I think Takaroa
    returns some loved to their place-"

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Yvette,

    http://www.facebook.com/notes/yvette-reid/a-nz-actor-emailed-me-asking-some-questions-about-the-hobbit-situation-here-are-/466554354888

    I'm a NZ actress and an actor friend who has adverse views to me emailed me to ask some questions. I've placed my answers on a FaceBook note on the link above.

    Please feel free to have a read.

    NZ • Since Oct 2010 • 1 posts Report

  • Peter Cox,

    Hi Yvette, there's about 3 hobbit threads floating about- the current one is:

    http://publicaddress.net/system/topic,2769,hard-news-anatomy-of-a-shambles.sm

    Just if you're wondering why no one is replying...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report

  • Patrick Xavier,

    Hmmm.

    Worker sacked for race-based Hobbit casting
    Updated at 4:07 pm today

    A casting assistant from The Hobbit has been sacked for applying race-based critieria while casting extras.

    A spokesperson for director Sir Peter Jackson's WingNut Films, which is producing the film, says the only criteria they have for casting hobbits is based on age and height.

    However, they say the casting assistant, employed by WingNut as a contractor, applied his own criteria which was that people had to have a pale complexion.

    The spokesperson says that is unacceptable and they have dismissed the casting assistant.

    Copyright © 2010, Radio New Zealand

    Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Hmmm indeed. Especially in light of the striking hues in the LotR movies (yes, I still haven't got over the bad brown middle-eastern pirates, thanks for asking).

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    The spokesperson says that is unacceptable and they have dismissed the casting assistant.

    Must have been on a contract or the 90 dayer???

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

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